II. The Subject of Lexicology

I. Introduction

Lecture 1. Lexicology as a discipline and word as the basic lexical unit.

A language is a hierarchy, a system of units and rules according to which these units can combine. Speech is the act of using a language. A text (oral or written) is the result of speech.

The system of any language includes several levels: phonetic, morphemic, lexical, syntactical (+ suprasyntactical level). Each level comprises units of its own order:

- phonemes (realized in speech as sounds)

- morphemes (realized as morphs)

- lexemes (realized as word forms)

- sentences (realized as utterances)

And each level is studied by a separate branch of linguistics:

- phonetics, phonology

- morphemics, word-building

- lexicology

- grammar

The lexical level can be described as the central level of language and words as the basic units of language: on the one hand, words are made up of phonemes and morphemes; on the other hand, they themselves make up bigger units of speech - sentences and texts.

The term lexicology is of Greek origin (from lexis – word and logos - science). Lexicology is the part of linguistics which deals with the vocabulary and characteristic features of words and word-groups.

The term v o c a b u l a-r y (словарный состав) denotes the system formed by all the words and word equivalents that the language possesses. A word is the smallest unit of a language which can stand alone as a complete utterance. The term word-group, or word combination, denotes a group of words which exists in the language as a ready-made unit, has the unity of meaning and syntactical function.It is the largest two-facet lexical unit comprising more than one word.

Lexicology can be general and special. General lexicology is the lexicology of any language, part of General Linguistics. Special lexicology is the lexicology of a particular language (English, German, Russian, etc.). General L. studies language universals – linguistic phenomena and properties common to all languages. Special L. studies the development of the vocabulary of a specific language, the origin of words and word-groups, their semantic relations and the development of their sound form and meaning. We also differentiate between synchronic and diachronic lexicology. Synchronic study is the study of language units at the given stage of language development; diachronical study is concerned with the development of language over time, throughout history.

Branches of lexicology are: Lexical phonetics; semasiology, onomasiology, etymology, phraseology, lexicography, lexical morphology, word-formation. Find out what these disciplines are and what they study!

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